Meat tenderizer drive mechanism



June 29, 1954 J. D. BROWN 2,682,078

MEAT TENDERIZER DRIVE MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 9, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet l 3nventor JAMES 0. BROWN 5% 5 e6 7 M Gttornegi June 29,1954 .1. D. BROWN MEAT TENDERIZER DRIVE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a a ia /j4/// 0 d m m kw u I 7 2 Z "Wi a 3 mm3fl 2 Ja n 2' 2 3nventor JAMES 0BROWN WVMM Patented June 29, 1954 MEAT TENDERIZER DRIVE MECHANISM JamesD. Brown, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio,a corporation of New Jersey Original application November 9, 1946,Serial No.

708,834. Divided and this application Decemher 7, 1951, Serial No.260,453

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to meat tenderizing machines and particularly toimproved disengageable driving means for meat tenderizing rolls.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide in a meattenderizing machine an improved disengageable drive for tenderizingrolls which permits easy removal of the rolls from the machine, and easyreplacement of the rolls therein.

A more specific object is the provision of an improved type ofdisengageable drive means for meat tenderizing rolls which allows agreat latitude of angular misalignment between the driving member andthe driven member when the rolls are assembled in the machine.

A further object is to provide improved means which permit a simpleinstallation of meat tenderizing rolls in a tenderizing machine andthereby reduce the possibility of injury to the operator.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred form of the machine embodying the invention.

According to the invention a pair of tenderizing roll shafts are eachprovided at one end with two substantially triangular projections whichcorrespond with and are driven by tenon-like projections on the ends ofa pair of drive arbors. A short collar or sleeve is fastened to each ofthe tenderizing roll shafts and extends beyond the spaced projections.When the rolls are operatively engaged with the drive arbors, thecollars enclose the ends of the arbors and the tenons engage with thetriangular projections on the shafts. The collars are reasonably closelyfitted on the arbors to retain the arbors and tenderizing roll shafts incorrect alignment when they are engaged.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a front perspective view of a tenderizing machine embodyingthe invention.

Figure II is an enlarged plan View of the machine shown in Figure I,certain parts being broken away and certain parts being shown insection.

Figure III is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a machineembodying the invention.

Figure IV is an enlarged exploded view in per- 708,834 filed November 9,1946, of which this a division, and Serial No. 700,813 filed October 2,1946, both now abandoned, comprises a horizontal motor base I from theends of which extend upright end frame members 2 and 3. The end framemembers 2 and 3 each have a pair of integrally cast feet 4 and 5respectively and a forwardly overhanging peripheral rim forming aportion of the exterior contour of the machine. A pair of end bells 6and I are secured to the end frame members .2 and 3 and form the ends ofthe machine as seen in Figure I.

A motor housing 8 which in cross-section is in the shape of an invertedU, extends longitudinally between the end frame members. The upperportion of the machine includes a formed cover 9 hinged to lift upwardlyand swing rear- Wardly to permit accessibility to a pair of tenderizingrolls Ill located beneath the cover 9. The hinged cover is provided witha chute II into which meat to be tenderized is dropped.

A motor I2 is resiliently mounted on the motor base I and drives apinion I3 mounted on a shaft I4 journaled in a boss formed on the endframe 3. The shaft I4 is connected to the motor shaft b means of auniversal joint I5. The pinion I 3 is meshed with a bull gear I6 whichis mounted on and keyed to the hub of a pinion H. The pinion isrotatably journaled on a shaft I8 which is mounted in a boss on the endframe 3 of the machine. The pinion I'I meshes with the larger of a pairof gears I9 and 20 which are keyed together and rotatably mounted upon ajackshaft 2| fixedly studded in a boss formed on the end frame. The gear20 is meshed with one of a pair of intermeshed driving gears 22. Thedriving gears 22 are keyed on the outer ends of a pair of drive arbors23 which are rotatably journaled in sleeve bearings 24 in turn mountedin a pair of bosses on the end frame 3. At their innermost ends, thearbors 23 are provided with longitudinally extending flattenedtransverse tenons 32.

The end frame member 2 has a pair of bosses 25 formed near its upperforward end, the bosses being substantially coaxial with the drivearbors 23- when the end frames 2 and 3 are assembled on the motor baseI. A journal 26 is slidably mounted on each of the bosses 25, and has atits inner end a turned down portion or cylindrical tenon 35.

The tenderizing rolls III are mounted between the drive arbors 23 andthe journals 26 and are coaxial therewith. Each of the tenderizing rollscomprises a plurality of thin disk-shaped cutting- 3 knives 21 which arekeyed to a shaft 28. The knives 21 of each roll are alternately spacedby means of spacing collars 29 as shown in Figures II and III. A nut 30is fastened at one end of each of the shafts 28 to secure thecutting-knives H and the collars 29 on the shafts.

On the left end of each of the shafts 28, as viewed from the operatorsstance, there are milled two triangular projections 3| which correspondto and cooperate with the flattened tenons 32 of the drive arbors 2'3.Enclosing the milled end of each of the shafts'28 and extending beyondthe projections 3| is a knurled sleeve or collar 33 which acts to guidethe tenons 32 of the drive arbors 23 into engagement with theprojections 3| and maintain the drive arbors and arbor shafts in correctaxial alignment. It will be noticed that the collars 33 and the nuts 30for securing the cutting-knives on the shafts are of different lengthsin order that the knives of the two rolls: will be in staggered planesto facilitate int'ermeshing.

The end of each of the shafts 23 opposite the end having the projectionsis counterbored and carries a sleeve bearing 3 in the counterbore intowhich the cylindrical tenon 3-5 of one of the journalss26 is insertable.

When; the tenderizing rolls iii] are in their operable position,.theyare prevented from moving longitudinally'by means for locking thejournals 23 in. their innermost position. The locking means comprises aplate 36 which is secured to and extends between the bosses 25 and whichcooperates with. notches 3|. milled across the body of'the. journals 26.Flats 38' are also milled 1ongitudinafly for a short distance on each ofthe journals to permit the ends of the plate 36 to extend radiallyinwardly of the diameter of the journals. In Figure II, the forwardjournal 26 is-shown' in its locked position and the rear journal isshown in its unlocked position.

Referring now to Figure IV, the preferred form of the invention.consists of the single flattened transverse longitudinally extendingtenon 32 on each of the drive arbors 23 which is engageable with thepair of substantially triangular projections 3i and the collar 33 oneach of the tenderizing rolls H]. The projections 3| extendlongitudinally from the ends of the shafts 23 a distance substantaillyequal to the distance which the tenons'32 extend. The apexes of theprojections are centrally directed and radially spaced a distancegreater than the thickness of the tenons. The corresponding sides of theprojections 3| are substantially parallel'and lie in planes radiallyspaced a* distance substantially equal to the thickness of the tenons32.

The prime objective of the machine, as stated i the objects, is toprovide driving means for tenderizing rolls which permit a wide range ofmisalignment of the driving member and the driven member duringassembly. The use of the flat transverse tenon 32 cooperating with onlytwo triangular radially spaced projections 3|, both surrounded by thecollar 33, accomplishes this purpose.

Assuming that the tenderizing rolls I have been cleaned and are readyfor replacement in themachine, the replacement takes place as follows.(The hinged cover 9 has been raised during disassembly and th journals26 have been moved to the right and are unlocked.) The rolls are held inthe operators left hand just as they will. finally fit into the machine.The collars 33 onthe. ends of. the shafts 28 are slipped over the tenons32 and the tenderizing rolls H) are then moved to the left. In mostinstances, the tenons on the drive arbor and the projections on theshaft will mesh correctly. When the tenons and projections do not meshthey can be engaged after rotating the tenderizing rolls somewhat, nevermorethan45". Such rotation is easily accomplished by bending the wrist.After the tenons 32 and projections 3| have been engaged, the knurledjournals 26 are moved to the left to engage their cylindrical tenons 35in the counterbores of the arbor shafts. When this has been done; theoperator no longer need hold the tenderizing rolls. Finally the journalsare locked in position by aslight rotation which engages the edges ofthe plate 36 in the notches 31, and the hinged cover is pulled down toready the machine for subsequent tenderizing of meat.

Various other changes may be made in the details of construction and inthe combination and arrangement of the several parts within thescope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimedis:

1. In a meat tenderizing machine, in combination, a drive shaft, acuttershaft having a plurality of thin disklike knives keyed thereto,.adisconnectable driving connection between said shafts, saiddisconnectable driving connection comprising a collar carried by one' ofsaid shafts and projecting beyond anendthereof to function as a socketfor receiving an end of the other of said shafts and for maintainingsaid shafts in axial alinement, a single flattened tenon'protrudinglongitudinally from the end of one of said shafts and a pair oftriangular projections protruding from the endof the other of saidshafts, said projections being radially spaced apart a distancesubstantially greater than the thickness of said flattened tenon wherebysaid shafts'may be moved relatively longitudinally to bring said tenonand said projections into interdigitated relationship within the socketformed by said collar notwithstanding that the shafts are in variousrelative angular positions, and means for holding said shafts againstrelative. axial movement, said means being releasable to permit one ofsaid shafts to be shifted longitudinally to disconnect said drivingconnection.

2. In a meat tenderizing machine, in combination, a pair of driveshafts,.a pair of cutter shafts each having a plurality of thin disklikeknives keyed thereto, disconnectable driving connections between saiddrive shafts and said cutter shafts, each such driving connectioncomprising a collar carried by one of said shafts and projecting beyondanend thereof to function as a socket for receiving an end of another ofsaid shafts thus holding the connected drive shaft and cutter shaft inaxial alinement, a single flattened tenon protruding longitudinally fromthe end of one of said shafts and a. pair of projections protruding fromthe end of the other of said shafts, said projections being radiallyspaced apart a distance substantially greater than the thickness of saidflattened tenon whereby said tenon and said projections may be movedinto interdigitated relationship Within the socket formed by said collarnotwithstanding that said shafts are in various relative angularpositions, and means for hol ing said shafts against relative axialmovement, said means being releaseable to permit one of said shafts tobe shifted longitudinally to disconnect such driving connection.

3. In a meat tenderizing machine, in combination, a drive shaft, acutter shaft having a plurality of thin disklike knives keyed theretoand a disconnectable driving connection between said shafts, saiddisconnectable driving connection comprising a collar carried by one ofsaid shafts and projecting beyond the end thereof to function as asocket for receiving the end of the other of said shafts thus holdingsaid shafts in axial alinement, projections on the ends of said shaftswhich interdigitate when the ends of said shafts are moved toward eachother within said socket, the angular spacing between said projectionsbeing sufiicient to permit a substantial relative angular movement ofsaid shafts when said projections are interdigitated and means for.

holding said shafts against relative axial movement, said means beingreleaseable to permit one of said shafts to be shifted longitudinally todisconnect said driving connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,058,695 Jungholm Oct. 27, 1936 ,409,463 Ahrndt Oct. 15, 1946FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 406,934 Germany Dec. 4, 1924

